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Comedian and actor Pete Davidson has offered fans a fresh look at his ongoing tattoo removal journey, revealing how much of his once heavily inked body has changed after more than six years of laser treatments.
The Saturday Night Live alum appeared shirtless in a photograph shared by his friend Machine Gun Kelly on Instagram on October 20. The image showed Davidson relaxing in a chair while wearing basketball shorts and socks, with his arms, chest and neck clearly visible.
What attracted attention was the noticeable reduction in his tattoos. His arms and hands appeared almost completely bare, although faint outlines and remnants of previous designs remained visible. A tattoo on his inner right bicep was also still relatively prominent.
The transformation was equally noticeable across his chest. Two large tattoos depicting a skull and a shark inspired by the film Jaws appeared significantly faded, alongside several smaller designs that had previously covered his upper chest and neck.
Davidson reportedly began the removal process more than six years ago, after accumulating an estimated 200 tattoos over the years.
His decision to remove much of the artwork has attracted considerable public interest, particularly because the comedian previously became widely recognised for his extensive collection of tattoos.
However, the process has not been straightforward. Davidson has openly discussed the physical discomfort associated with laser removal, describing it as an extremely painful experience that requires repeated treatments and sufficient healing time.
In a 2025 interview with Variety, he compared the sensation to placing an arm on a hot grill and burning away a layer of skin. He also explained that the process requires ongoing maintenance, making it both physically demanding and time consuming.
Despite his commitment to removing most of his tattoos, Davidson has made it clear that certain designs will remain because of their personal significance.
Among them are tattoos dedicated to his parents. His late father, Scott Davidson, was a firefighter who died during the September 11 attacks in New York City. Pete has his father's identification number tattooed on his body as a tribute to his memory.
The comedian also has a tattoo dedicated to his mother. During an October 2025 interview with Entertainment Tonight, he revealed that the design reads "MOMTATTOO", explaining that his mother had once questioned why he had never dedicated a tattoo to her.
More recently, Davidson added another meaningful design to his collection. During an appearance at CinemaCon in April, he revealed a tattoo spelling out "Scottie" vertically near his left ear, honouring his daughter with former partner Elsie Hewitt.
The couple welcomed their daughter in December 2025, and the new tattoo marked a personal addition to Davidson's evolving relationship with body art.
The update also highlights a distinction between tattoos he regrets and those he considers permanent reminders of important relationships.
For Davidson, removing hundreds of designs does not mean abandoning every piece of ink. Instead, his journey appears to involve keeping the artwork that carries personal meaning while gradually moving away from the extensive collection that once defined his appearance.
